Advertising-supported distribution of audio-video data may be implemented from a content server to remote client devices over computer networks, telecommunications networks, and combinations of such networks, using various methods, for example progressive downloading or streaming. Platforms for such distribution may include sites that offer a great variety of different programming, including both newly released episodes of serial programs, major features, documentaries, special events, archives of past episodes and classic serial programs, of different types targeted to users having various different demographic profiles or located in different area, and in various formats for use on different kinds of player devices. One or more video ads may be inserted into each video program and sold to advertisers who are charged based on how many times each advertisement is played on a client device; i.e., for each video ad impression.
The delivery of video content by streaming or progressive download may be accomplished under a variety of models. In one model, the user pays for the viewing of each video program, for example, using a pay-per-view service. In another model widely adopted by broadcast television shortly after its inception, sponsors pay for the presentation of the media program in exchange for the right to present advertisements during or adjacent to the presentation of the program. In some models, advertisements are inserted at predetermined times in a video program, which times may be referred to as “ad pods” or “ad breaks.” With streaming video, the media player may be configured so that the client device cannot play the video without also playing predetermined advertisements during the designated ad breaks. While this feature is helpful for ensuring that ad impressions are delivered to the client device, a lack of ability for the user to influence or control the advertising content played during the ad breaks may reduce the interest of some viewers in viewing streaming video content with inserted advertising. These and other limitations of prior methods for ad selection for a streaming video may be overcome by the novel methods and apparatus disclosed herein.